


Road Back Home

by papayafig



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, BAMF, Childhood Trauma, Deidara x Sakura, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Haruno Sakura-centric, Modern AU, Mommy Issues, Naruto is a cinnamon roll and we love him, POV Uchiha Sasuke, Shinobi Politics (Naruto), Smut, Uchiha Sasuke Has Issues, Uzumaki Naruto is a Good Friend, sakura is also bad at feelings, sakura loves sasuke but hates even thinking about thinking about it, sasuke is a fuckboy but only cause sakura is like nope, sasuke is sasuke, shit will get crazy, sigh they dumb
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:22:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28921272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/papayafig/pseuds/papayafig
Summary: Konoha was long gone for Sakura Haruno but when the opportunity to learn under Tsunade Senju comes to her, she can't say no. Forcing herself to forget her past, she moves on ahead to a new life in a new Konoha but when she runs into old friends, she can't seem to force everything away. Memories of another lifetime come rushing back, especially her memories of certain dark haired Uchiha who she thought she would never see again..
Relationships: Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31





	1. Reunion

The air was crisp and smelt of wet sweetgrass, the early sunrise was beginning to illuminate the world around her. She sighed and stopped, collecting her breath from her morning run.

 _I guess I can’t run from everything_ , she contemplated silently.

Taking in her surroundings, she realized Konoha had changed drastically.

_It’s only been 6 years but I hardly recognize it. I wonder if anyone will even remember me._

She walked back towards her dorm, stopping at a vending machine to purchase a hot cup of shitty coffee. Class didn't start for another week and she was thankful for it, she was also thankful for not having a roommate yet. Sakura Haruno wasn’t prepared to face anyone that might recognize her. Thanks to her caretaker, Lady Chiyo, she was able to move into her dorm two weeks before everyone else and had time to really come to terms with her situation. Although, she hasn’t really.

“If it wasn’t for Lady Tsunade, I wouldn’t have come back here…”

Walking around aimlessly, sipping on her coffee, a wave of nostalgia hits her and she comes across a cherry blossom tree. The flowers were just about to bloom, the sweet fragrance in the air let her know that. She sighed again, shaking her head free from the memory forcing its way into her mind’s fortress.

 _Focus!_ She reminded herself. She was here for one thing and that was to learn as much as she could from Lady Tsunade and bring to fruition her purpose.

Heading back to her room, she felt her neck hairs stand up, as if she was being watched. Stopping and taking in her surroundings, she looked but spotted nothing. Shaking herself again, she jogged back to her room, not stopping until she reached her door. Pushing the key into the lock, she practically bulldozed her way in, breathing deeply as she rested her back on the shut door. Taking her hair out of her ponytail, she shakes the tension that has accumulated in her scalp.

“I think being alone on this creepy ass campus is starting to get to me” she chuckles to herself.

Grabbing hold of her toiletries bag and towel, she makes her way into the small shower in her room.

 _A cold shower will do me good_.

Losing herself in the warmth of the shower, she allows her walls to come down slightly, letting the memories slowly pour into her consciousness.

_‘Mom, where are you going?” 12 year old Sakura asks her mother but she doesn’t reply, just offers her a small smile before grabbing her bag and leaving through Lady chiyo’s front door. Sakura turns to face the small woman that watched the exchange take place. Lady Chiyo took steps towards her and held out her hand. Sakura looks down towards her feet, tears springing around the corners of her eyes. She bites her lip to keep it from trembling._

_‘She’s not coming back, is she?’ she asks no one but she hears Lady Chiyo breathe softly. Looking up at the older woman with tears spilling down her cheeks, her heart breaks at the realization. Lady Chiyo takes her hand and guides her deeper into her home._

_‘In time, with purpose, none of this will matter as much as it does now.’_

The water starts to cool down so Sakura takes it as a sign to leave the shower. Hair dripping down her body, she wraps herself in her towel before making her way into her room, not bothering to look at her blotchy cheeks. Quickly, she changes into black biker shorts and a red crop top before wrapping her hair in a towel and laying on her bed. In an attempt to free herself of memories, she allows herself to drift into sleep.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A wrattle of keys brings her back into consciousness. Frantically sitting up, she sees her door fly open and a box comes into view, followed by a blonde. Confused, she rubs her eyes to shake the leftover sleep.

“Gah! Why did I overpack thi- oh! Sorry! I didn’t know anyone would be in here!” The blonde exclaims. Sakura looks up, still confused from the drowsiness. The blonde puts the box down before kicking it slightly to her right. Dusting her hands on her pants, she walks towards Sakura with a hand held out. “Hi, I’m Ino, your roommate!”

“Ino?” Sakura says, mostly to herself. _I know that name_. She looks at Ino who still has her hand outheld. To stop from making this any more awkward, she quickly takes it and gives it a small shake.

“Hi Ino, I’m Sakura” She quickly drops her hand, finally looking, really looking, at Sakura. Her hair is very long and very pink, she thinks. _I know her? I know her!_

“Sakura?!!” She exclaims, hip bent forwards to better look at her. Sakura was still too tired for all of this. She pushes a piece of hair behind her ear and takes in the blond’s face. Blue eyes welcome her and she realizes who she is. It’s Ino. Her childhood best friend. “Billboard brow??”

“Ugh, of course it’s you, Pig!” She grunts hiding the small smile that has formed. The blonde is ecstatic by this point, grabbing ahold of Sakura and giving her a strong hug. Breaking the hug, she looks at Sakura and looks at her in amazement.

“I can’t believe it’s you!”

“In the flesh” Sakura mutters.

“It’s been so long, what? 6 years?! Wait, when did you move back?” She hurriedly asks.

“About two weeks now, but I’ve been here. I only moved back for school.”

“Huh, what are the odds? Well, you look great! Where have you been? It’s like you just disappeared, you never wrote, never said anything!” She goes to sit on her bed, still looking at Sakura who is visibly uncomfortable. Although, she doesn’t think Ino cares.

“I moved to Suna, that's where I’ve been” She carefully says. Before Ino could ask any other questions, she asked her one herself. “How have you been? How’s life?”

“Oh me?! I’ve been good! I don’t have a boyfriend but I am optimistic!” She exclaims and Sakura laughs. “How about you?”

“I’ve been fine, not much is exciting. I mostly read and study when I’m not volunteering. Now that I’m back in Konoha, I don’t think much will change.” She says and Ino just stares.

“No way! That’s so boring! We have to get you up to date with everything here. Suna sounds super boring, not surprising though, they do look like they would be. Nonetheless, you’re back now! Oh my God, wait until everyone finds out!”

“Everyone?” She scratches the back of her head nervously, this is exactly what she didn’t want.

“Yeah! Everyone is still super close, believe it or not. OH! That reminds me, I left Shikamaru downstairs with all my stuff! I’ll be right back.” She says hurriedly before running towards the door. Sakura sighs, the good nature in her not letting her leave without her help.

“I’ll help.” She states and makes her way towards the door, slipping her shoes on. She follows Ino who ecstatically chirps about how cool it is they’ll be living together and how bizarre it is.

Heading downstairs, she sees a tall man with an updo ponytail, clearly annoyed, smoking a cigarette. Hearing footsteps and Ino’s chirping, he opens his eyes and glares at her.  
“You know, you said you’d be right back.” he huffs, putting out his cigarette against the wall he was leaning on.

“You should really stop smoking, you’ll age way too fast!” Ino scolds and he rolls his eyes. “I lost track of time because of who I ran into!” She excitedly reveals Sakura who looks as annoyed as Shikamaru. “You remember Sakura, right? From the academy?”

Shikamaru looks at Sakura and looks confused for a moment before it registers.

“Hey.” Sakura says plainly and he nods.

“Long time no see, thought you moved away” He says and she nods.

“Yep, moved back for school.” Having nothing else to say, they look back at Ino who is smiling from ear to ear, looking past them and waving. They look to their side to see a group of guys heading towards them.

“Hey guys!” She waves excitedly. Shikamaru huffs, before digging into his pocket for another reaches them, she takes him in. He’s really tall and his hair is short, he looks relaxed in sweats and a t-shirt even though he’s holding his own box. Smiling wide, she recognizes him instantly and before she can stop herself she breathes out his name.

“Naruto” At hearing his name, he looks down at her, confused at who it could be he looks at her for a moment. The box falls from his arms and he takes a step towards her before smiling wide again. Suddenly, picks her up in his arms and twirls her around. The surprise takes Sakura’s breath away.

“Sakura! It’s really you!” He twirls her before putting her down. The sudden force leaves her dizzy and she needs a second to balance herself. He bends down a bit and parts her hair from her face and takes a better look. _It’s really her!_ “Sakura!” He says her name again, more centered. She can’t help but smile at him.

“Yeah, it's me.” She says shyly, taking his hands from her face and into her hands. They stare at each other for a moment and she feels herself blushing. “You’ve gotten taller”

He releases her hands and laughs sheepishly before putting his hands behind his head. The group he was with finally catches up to them and she realizes who they are now that they’re out of the sun. She recognizes everyone instantly, the wave of nostalgia makes her nauseated and it takes all of the will power she has from throwing up on the spot. Balancing herself, she remains quiet and deadpanned as she takes her emotions back into control. She feels her palm get wet and she looks down at the white dog licking her palm, she crouches down and pets him. Laughing quietly to herself at the big ball of fluff who recognized her almost as instantly as Naruto did.

“Well hello, Akamaru.” She says, smiling. He greets her with a bark of his own. She feels herself being watched and looks up at her childhood friends surrounding her. It all becomes too much all over again. Standing up, she gives them a small wave. “Hi”

“Ah! So it is you, Sakura. What a pleasant surprise!” Lee exclaims at her.

“Good ol’ Akamaru gave you away, huh?” Kiba states and chuckles to himself. She blushes slightly, remembering the moment when they were 7 and he got into between their first kiss, giving Sakura a second one.

“Well, you remember everyone, right?” Ino asks before taking the reins, reminding her of everyone. One by one she mentions everyone by name. “Lee, Kiba, Shino, Choji, you already met Shikamaru, this is Sai, he joined us a few years after you moved away,” she says, mentioning the pale, dark haired man standing next to Shikamaru. He gives her a smile and waves. “Naruto, who you obviously remember, and Sasuke”

Her heart stopped. They settled on the tall, dark haired man with equally dark eyes staring at her. How did she not see him? He was all she ever saw when they were kids, she didn't even notice the dark persona standing next to such a bright one like Naruto. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed as he registered her, looking at her, slowly, from head to toe. She couldn't look away, she was frozen in place. She felt like she was trapped, ensnared by those darks eyes watching her. So many emotions running through them that they nullified each other out.

_The wind blew her hair into her face and she struggled to contain it. Hands flew towards her and grabbed the freeing locks, tucking them behind her ears. She looked up at him, watching him tame her hair so effortlessly._

_‘If it gets to be such a hassle, why not cut it?” He asks her, somewhat annoyed._

_‘I-I c-can handle it most of the time.’ she says and he looks at her before putting his hands in his pockets and walking away. ‘Come on, Kakashi is waiting’_

“So, where did you move from?” Asks the pale man she doesn’t know, breaking her free from Sasuke’s hold.

“Um, Suna” She answers, somewhat frazzled. “Actually, it was nice seeing you guys but I just remembered I have to do something!” She looked at Ino who looked ready to stop her. “I’ll catch up with you later, Ino, sorry!” She says before running off.  
  
She doesn’t dare look back, she just runs away like her life depends on it.  
  
Unaware to her, Sasuke keeps staring, even after she’s gone from view.

“Tsk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! This is my first fanfic and it's been a long time coming. I had a dream last night of this au and I woke up determined to write it. If you like it, I'd love to know! If you have any opinions, I'd love to hear them! Kudos, comments, whatever! I hope you stay with me on this journey. I'm going to be uploading weekly but I can be excited so might be even sooner. Thanks again!
> 
> PS: The POV's will change but it's a Sakura-centric fit, followed by Sasuke and anyone else that's important to the story.


	2. Avoidance

The sun was high above her before she stopped running. Now in the center of the town, she decided to slow down and catch her breath. The streets were covered by people enjoying their Saturday afternoon, so she walked around. 

“Might as well get some shopping done while I’m here.” She says to herself. She walks around to different vendors, buying a shopping bag to fill with it with some necessities. She tried to keep her mind occupied with the medial tasks but her heart hadn’t stopped pounding. Not wanting to understand she tried breathing techniques to steady herself but it was slowly building in a way that left her panicking. Rounding a corner and ducking into an alley, she dry heaves onto a wall before completely throwing up stomach bile. It came in waves but she didn’t feel any better, in fact, she felt worse and before she knew it, she was crying. It felt like the seconds had turned into hours and she couldn’t see an end. Trying to regain her footing, she brushed her hair away from her face and looked up at the sky. She breathed as deeply as she could and slowly started regaining composure. 

_I need a drink._

Wiping tears away, she left the alleyway and walked back into the crowd, getting lost in their voices and away from her thoughts. She saw a small bar tucked away from the main street and decided to try her luck. Back in Suna, she was able to get a fake ID and it usually worked at most bars, other bars didn’t even care to check. She hitched up her bag and sped towards the establishment. Walking in, the stale smell of sake and beer overwhelmed her and she felt her heartbeat regulate. She walked over to the bar, settling in before looking at the bartender who was busy polishing glasses to realize someone was there.  
  
“Hey, can I get some Junmai-shu?” She asks him, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. He looks up and smirks. op  
  
“Can I see some ID?” He asks and she sighs before reaching for her thin wallet out of her biker shorts. Pulling out the card, she slides it towards him and watches him from the corner of her eye, head looking away, irritated that he even asked. “Suna, huh?”  
  
“Yep. Just moved here” She replies and he nods before passing it back to her. 

“Bottle or just a cup?”  
  
“Cup, for now.” She tucks the card back in her wallet and slides over cash. 

“This is some strong stuff, you celebrating early?” He asks, pouring the liquid out for her. She looks up confused. He passes her the drink before looking at her, puzzled. “Your birthday is tomorrow, right?”  
  
That catches her by surprise. It was the 27th already. She lost track of time or better yet, let time escape her. She just sighs again before nodding.  
  
“I actually forgot.” Picks up the cup to her lips and gulps it all down in a large sip. The alcohol burns her throat in a way that she needed, in order to be reminded she was anchored to the earth. Setting down the now empty cup, he pours her another. 

“Tell you what, since it’s practically your birthday and you’re my first customer, that one is one the house.”

She salutes him before downing the other cup. She breathes in and out, before refocusing her vision to her surroundings. The bar was dim but not overly dark. The decor was pretty standard, dark brown wood, bottles on shelves and the bar was a straight line of bar stools. She hadn’t even noticed she was alone until he mentioned it.

_“It is noon”_ Her inner voice chastised and she rolled her eyes. Calling out for the bartender, she asks for some water and a third and final one. He simply nods and gives her what she requests. She chugs her water, then her sake and then pays. 

“Thanks for your hospitality.” She bows slightly and turns to leave. 

“No prob, happy birthday!” He shouts as she darts away. Shaking her head and adjusting to the bright light outside she feels the cups hit her in her core. They hit her way harder than they have and she realizes it’s because she hasn’t eaten anything. Laughing to herself she pulls out an apple from her bag and starts munching away. Looking up at the sky, she walks back towards the campus. 

Blame it on the alcohol or the mania starting to come forth but she was feeling brave, whatever drama was waiting for her, she would shut it down immediately and ask to be left alone. She was a different person than the girl they grew up with, how couldn’t she be? People weren’t entitled to her and her life just because of shared memories. This is the mantra she decided upon and marched her way back to campus. There were more people around, most of them moving into dorms. It feels weird seeing it, everything had been so empty except for a few faculty members. Now, it was starting to feel like a college. Parents were loitered around their kids, making sure they had everything they needed for their next step. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. Looking away and moving towards her destination, she picked up her pace. The last thing she wanted to do was get distracted with what ifs, especially after the morning she had. 

Coming up to the entrance of her dorm, she couldn’t help but feel her neck hairs stand up again. Like this morning, she felt as if she was being watched. She quickly looked around, not seeing anything other than people unloading boxes and talking amongst their friends and family. Rolling her eyes at how jumping she's become but not letting down her guard, she takes the stairs, two steps at a time before bolting to her door. Fumbling slightly with her keys, she pushes her way in to find Ino unpacking her boxes.  
  
“Sakura!” She exclaims and Sakura waves. Pushing herself up from her bed she walks towards Sakura and smirks at her. “Did you go drinking?”  
  
“How do you even smell it?” She groans and Ino laughs.  
  
“Cause you smell like it, ma’am.” She chuckles and her face softens. “You okay?”  
  
“Me? Yeah, super fine. Totally great.” She states before kicking her shoes off and making her way to her side to organize her bag. “Why do you ask?”  
  
“Well, miss all-I-do-is-read-and-study, seemed like it's out of character” She shrugs and Sakura sighs, already not wanting to get into it. 

Thinking on her feet, she replies, “oh, well, it’s my birthday tomorrow so I just had a last day as a 18 year old, drink.” She hears Ino gasp and regrets saying anything.  
  
“It’s your birthday tomorrow? Oh we have to do something.” She says, turning Sakura to face her. She grabs a hold of her shoulders beaming at her and Sakura deplets.  
  
“Well, I don’t usually do anything. I just grab a drink and stay in. We really don’t have to do anything,” She says before quietly adding “please don’t make me.” Ino laughs at her and shakes her head.

“Sorry, no. You’re coming with us tonight, we’re all gonna go to the training grounds and hang out, toasting to the new school year. If you want, we can just add your birthday in like it's no big deal.” She suggests and Sakura sighs, earning a laugh from Ino. “Oh stop it, Forehead. Just take the L and have fun. What’s the worst that can happen? You run away all awkwardly again?” Sakura gapes at her before huffing and crossing her arms. Ino just looks at her and shakes her head. “Anyway, let’s go grab some food.”  
  
At the mention of food, Sakura’s stomach betrays her before she even has a chance to lie. Sucking her teeth, she nods and walks towards the door with Ino. Slipping their shoes on they make their way to the cafeteria. Ino chirped beside her, catching her up to speed of the Konoha now. Sakura can’t help but thank the blonde silently for offering such healthy distractions. She continues this as they grab food, she settles on onigiri and some sweet dumplings along with water to sober her up some. They sit to eat, Ino continues to ramble and Sakura listens as intently as she can but her mind starts to wander. Now that the alcohol has settled, she starts remembering the reason for her wanting to drink in the first place.  
  
_Sasuke._

She wouldn’t say she forgot about him or that she doesn’t think about him, that would just be lies. She thought about him more than she wanted to and it was ridiculous because she left so young and he was always disinterested in her advances. Sure there were moments that gave her hope, like during certain missions she felt them get closer. He would stick his neck out for her and even compliment her on her marks at school, even personality. Although, he usually just called her annoying. For a moment though, she felt that they had gotten closer than just being friends, she felt the first blooms of actual love. Yeah, she was a kid, yeah she probably made it up but on those training missions with Kakashi, those nights they spent next to each other, looking at the stars, it did not feel like nothing. After that night, he was by her side even more. Silently, always making sure she knew she wasn’t alone. Making sure she ate, drank water. In his own quiet way, he assumed the role of caretaker, of protector. Then they left and she thought that was it. It happened so fast, she couldn’t make out if it had actually happened or if she made him up. She thought she did. 

_I didn’t but it doesn’t matter now, does it?_

“So! What will you wear tonight?” Ino asked and Sakura came back to. 

“Um, something similar to this, I guess?” She looks down at her crop top and biker shorts, feeling extremely comfy, hoping Ino wouldn’t sugge-  
  
“NO! You are back! You are a woman, we are adults! You will wear something that screams Adult Sakura”  
  
“But this is Adult Sakura, I don’t do much besid-”  
  
“Yeah, no. No worries, I’ll figure it out! It will be comfy but stylish, laid back but not lazy. You get it?”  
  
“Sure, Ino, whatever you say.”

  
  
  


\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
  
  


“Must I wear a dress?” Sakura grunts and Ino laughs at her. 

“Come on, I can’t be the only one to?” Ino pouts and she sighs, earning a grin from her blonde friend. “Besides, it’s just a t-shirt dress, I promised comfort!”  
  
Sakura had to admit that she did like the dress. It was slightly form fitting long sleeve grey dress that stopped mid thigh, maybe a little higher. Paired with some light sneakers and some light accessories, she had to admit she did look good. Ino insisted she wear her hair up in a messy high, ponytail. “It’ll show off all your piercings and make you look delicious.” She cringed remembering what Ino said. She looked at her friend, who wore a form fitting, mid sleeve black dress paired with chunky black boots. She looked beautiful, though, Ino was never ugly. She was contently humming to herself while fixing up her hair. She wore it down, smoothing any frays she encountered. After spritizing herself with perfume, she turned to Sakura and beamed. Ino walked over to Sakura, taking her face in her hands. She wiped off something on the corner of her mouth, probably misplaced lip gloss and smiled softly. 

“I know you don’t wanna hear this, but I’m happy that you’re in my life again. Don’t just up and leave this time without at least sending an email.” Ino said softly, still holding Sakura’s face. 

Sakura held her gaze and relaxed in her hands. Breathing out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding, she nodded and smiled weakly. “Yeah.”

“Okay!” Ino beams once again and releases Sakura, only to hold her hand and pull her out the door. Leaving the dorms, they welcomed the slightly chilly air with deep breaths. Ino pulls out a bottle from her bag and hands it to Sakura. It’s a bottle of Sake, the bottle was pink and labelled Hakutsuru Sayuri and all Sakura could do was laugh. 

“Did you grab the bottle because it was pink and had Sakura blossoms?” She smirked at Ino and she heard her laugh.  
  
“Can’t get too drunk on our way there. You go on, crack the bottle open!” Sakura nods and cracks the bottle, pouring a small amount on the ground and saying a small, silent prayer to those no longer living. Bringing the opening to her lips, she takes a large swig. Having her taste buds envelop in her mouth, she cringes slightly before handing Ino the bottle. 

“It’s sweet, but nice. Kinda creamy.” Sakura notes and Ino nods, drinking from the bottle. They start making their way to the training grounds. For a few moments it was silent, just them passing the bottle back and forth from each other. Sakura can start feeling the sake warm her up, no longer feeling chilly. Ino also appears to feel the same way, her body relaxed as she walks. The training grounds were almost a mile away, which wasn’t bad considering she was on no rush. She was also thankful for the walk. During her time alone, she found that walking when no one was really around, was the best way to reconnect with her home village. It brought a sense of peace she hadn’t felt in Suna. 

“Sakura?” Ino said, looking at her friend. Sakura snaps away from her thoughts and looks at her. “Why did you just bolt earlier today?”

She knew this question was coming, Ino wanted to ask it since she saw her earlier that day but she knew not to ask right away. Sakura sighs, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “Honestly, I was overwhelmed.”  
  
“Hm, really?” Ino asked, sincerely. Not in her usual sarcastic tone and Sakura nods.  
  
“Well, there are so many reasons, reasons I’m not comfortable even admitting to myself but the one that really stands out the most is overwhelmed.” Sakura replies and looks up at the night sky. “I wasn’t expecting to see everyone, I was hoping I wouldn’t at all.”  
  
“Oh, I see.” Ino said softly. “Well, are you happy, no wait, content with me?”  
  
Sakura stops then, Ino stops a moment later, looking back at Sakura who was looking at her with slight determination. Maybe it was the sake or the fact that Ino had picked up from where they left off without prying. Maybe it was the fact that Sakura never found an “Ino” in Suna but she was thankful for her presence more than she knew to explain.  
  
“I am grateful for you.” Sakura said, stepping towards Ino. She grabs her hand and squeezes it lightly. “Thank you.”  
  
Ino eyes start welling up and she shakes her head. “Ah damn it all, we were supposed to cry later!”  
  
Sakura laughs and takes a swig from the bottle. Ino patting her eyes, catching any tears before they ruin her makeup, laughs too. “Okay let's go.” 

Walking forward again, they engage in light conversation. Sakura finds out that Ino is majoring in psychology with a minor in botany, to help her father out in his practice and her mother with her shop. Sakura told her that she came here for med school because she wants to be a surgeon. Lady Tsunade was teaching here for the first time since her step away from office and she was the perfect person to learn from. She had started learning from Lady Tsunade before she left the village, but it was only for a few months. Lady Chiyo taught her so much but she was a much older woman and only knew so much in one area. 

“I think we’re almost done,” Ino said, swinging the bottle slightly. Sakura can feel it in her body but just enough to feel warm and slightly tipsy. They round a corner and start making their way through the park. They could hear music being played not too far off but it was faint enough to know she still had a few minutes. She felt her heart pounding and her hands starting to clam up. Taking another large swig of the bottle, she rolled her shoulder back and stood at attention, raising her head. She breathed deeply and steadied herself as best she could. Ino chuckled beside her like she knew her secret and for a moment, Sakura looked at her panicked before completely stopping. Ino looked back at her friend. Sighing, she walked back and placed her hands on her shoulders.  
  
“Hey. You look good. Everyone knows it. People are happy to see you, okay? No complicated bullshit, just happy to see their friend.” Ino coos and Sakura nods. She’s right. Taking her hand, Ino guides her towards the warm lights surrounding the training field. They enter the circle and see groups of people, some she didn’t recognize. Some recognized her right away.  
  
“Sakura!” Naruto yelled, placing his cup down on a bench before making his way towards her. She doesn’t mind Naruto at all, she hadn’t realized just how much she missed her friend. He doesn’t pick her up like before but he gives her a hug, before resting his hands on her shoulders. She still can’t believe how tall he is. Looking up at her warm friend, she catches herself smiling.  
  
“Hey, Naruto” she says.  
  
“Hey, Ino!” He says to her blonde friend who waves.  
  
“I leave her to you, I’m gonna go get us drinks.” She struts away from them. Sakura feels a bit annoyed at her departure but relaxes when Naruto removes his hands, reminding her that he’s there.  
  
“How you been?” They both ask and they laugh. Naruto replies first, “I’ve been good, ya know?”  
  
“Me too.” Sakura chimes, smiling up at him. She catches herself again, realizing she doesn’t know if the smile is fake or not.  
  
“It’s kinda crazy, huh? I didn’t think I’d see you again. I mean, I thought I would someday but not so soon. I’m glad though, we really missed you.” He says to her and she nods.

 _We?_   
  
“Yeah, I-I missed you guys, too.” The sake definitely hit her by then. She felt her walls become translucent and moldable to the touch. She realizes she still has the bottle in her hands so she chugs the rest, leaving Naruto slightly gaping at her. She looks around from a trash bag and spots one, before turning to Naruto and gesturing for him to follow. “So college, huh?”  
  
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?!” He mutters and she laughs, maybe a bit too loud because she gains a few eyes. Discarding the bottle, she looks up at her friend. “I’ll have you know I’m studying political science. I’m gonna become Hokage, ya know?!”  
  
“I have no doubt.” She replies, smiling at him.  
  
“What are you studying?” He asks her, picking up his cup from where he placed it before. He takes a seat and she follows his lead.  
  
“Pre-med and biochemistry.” She replies and he whistles.  
  
“Man, what a task.” He whistles and she chuckles. “I thought poli-sci was hard.” Sakura watches as Ino comes into view with two cups in her hands. Handing one to Sakura, she sits down next to her. She takes a swig and coughs slightly, not realizing what she would be drinking.  
  
“Ugh, what is this stuff?” She expressed in visible discomfort. She continues to drink it though.  
“Jungle juice! Choji made it, isn't it awful?” Ino chimes. “Buuut, it will get you drunk.”  
  
“Yeah, he made this stuff last time and everyone practically removed him from party planning but then the effects kicked in and no one seemed to mind. Also, there’s this liquid he uses that helps with hangovers so you don’t feel shitty in the morning. Straight magic.” Naruto adds. Sakura can feel it slide down her throat and start making its rounds throughout her body. Definitely strong. Drinking more sips, she feels her body relax fully and she can’t help but listen to the music more, feeling her body start to slightly move to it. Naruto and Ino start making conversation and she’s happy to just listen to the two. She starts to take in her surroundings. The guys had set up two tables, one with the ridiculous punch, cups and napkins. Another table was for what she assumed was beer pong, although it seemed the guys were in the middle of setting it up. Paper lanterns littered the trees around the circles and grass. It was actually quite beautiful, the warm glow of the lanterns definitely added a comfort to the atmosphere. There were mats in certain areas, where some people were already sitting, deep in conversation or _other_ things. The benches that already existed were few, they were sitting at one of the 3. She came across a keg and decided to have some of that next, not wanting to be too wasted at her first party back. 

Before she realized, she had downed her drink and sighed. _I drink too fast._ Getting up from her position, she motioned to the cup so her friends knew where she was going, not wanting to disrupt their heated discussion about the romantic gestures of flowers over ramen. Walking towards the keg, she took a glance over at the beer pong table placed not too far from it. The game had started, Choji and Shikamaru made one team and Kiba and Shino made the other. The guy Sai watched, with his own amused smile as Kiba and Choji argued about trick shots being counted. She used the hose to pour herself some but realized she hadn’t actually used one before. She tried the small pump at the end but nothing was coming out. Looking back at the larger pump, she deduced that she might need to get the beer going again. She pressed down on the pump and tried her luck again. Nothing but small amounts of foam came out. 

“Here, you gotta pump it a few times.” A voice came behind her, she turned to face them but they had already slipped past her and towards the keg. She turns back to see Sasuke, pumping the keg a few times. Wearing a regular black long sleeve and black jeans, his arms sculpted perfectly in the dark fabric. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from his chest, his shirt teasing his sculpted body. Taking the hose from her hands, she stood frozen as he bent down to get her cup and pour her some. He looked up from his hair that was covering his eyes slightly and she saw him smirk, watching her watch him. She blinked a few times, trying to get out from his spell as he handed her the cup.  
  
“Th-th-thanks.” She stutters and chastises herself for even presenting herself as frazzled. Now that he was standing up straight she could see just how tall he was. He was looking at her, straight faced but his eyes seemed amused. He broke contact to grab his own cup and poured himself some before lifting an eyebrow at her. She had been staring. Quickly she turns away and brings her attention to the beer pong table before walking (probably a bit too fast towards it). They were almost done with the round, it seems that Choji and Shikamaru were gonna win. Taking the opportunity to get away from Sasuke and his smoldering gaze, she walked towards the table. “Hey! Can I play next round?”  
  
The guys look up at her and Sai nods. “Yes, but you have to find a partner.” Before she can even look towards Ino and Naruto a voice comes up behind her.  
  
“I’ll do it.” He says calmly, coming up beside her. She can feel his arm brush with hers. The hairs on her body raise at the contact, even through her clothing. She finds herself looking up at Sasuke again, only to find him staring at her with an amused smirk and suddenly, she wants to die. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thanks again for keeping up with me!
> 
> Some brief explanations:
> 
> Think of the shinobi world meshed with ours. It's a shinobi state and they all go to school to learn the basics of not only a regular education but also how to become a shinobi. College/Universities exists to further support their career choices. Whether they want to go into the political or medical, or whatever. There's no special powers but shinobi are physically advanced since they have been training to be extremely agile since childhood. Some clans like the Hyuga and Uchiha have had this in their blood for centuries. Giving them a special edge that you will come to see in the later chapters. 
> 
> Thank you again for all your feedback, it means soooo much.
> 
> If ya wanna yell at me, my Twitter is @papayafig 🥰


	3. Under The Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BE WARNED: This chapter will have smut. I know I said eventual and probably made you think that you had to wait very long for it, I thought I would too but alas, no. I also am going in a different direction with this, so see updated tags.

Sakura watched him, shoulders relaxed, back straight, focusing on his target. Sasuke’s arm was bent while he held the ping pong ball in between his middle finger and thumb. Dragging his hand back slightly, adjusting his aim to make the shot. He looks back at Sakura, catching her stare and flashing her a knowing smirk. He knows she was staring. Caught in his stare, she felt the wind leave her body. The cool, onyx gaze trapped her for what felt like years and only when someone from the other team made an unhappy remark did it snap her out. Sakura’s eyes widened, no way! He’s not even looking! The shot landed. Satisfied with himself, Sasuke turns away from her, hands in pockets and walks towards her. “Your turn” He whispers against her ear and she shivers.    
  
“What a drag.” Shikamaru breathes and removes the ball, quickly chugging the golden liquid from the cup. He throws the ball back at Sasuke, who was now watching him. Still with the obnoxiously amused smirk on his face. At that moment, Sakura declared to herself that she hated it. Handing her the ball, she grabs it quickly, avoiding eye contact as if her life depended on it. Focusing on her target, she let her shoulders relax. Breathing in and tapping into her concentration, she allows her body to do the rest. Years living with Lady Chiyo, she drilled the importance of having the ability to quickly tap into her body. 

_ “In any situation, always be prepared to feel your body and react how it reacts. That way, nothing can stop you. If you are prepared to be a shinobi medic, you should be prepared to lose the ability of your eyes. You might not always be in the most opportune places where you will be required to heal. Your body must guide you in these moments.” _ _  
  
_

“Ah man!” She hears Choji exclaim. Opening her eyes, she sees him reach out for the cup and down it quickly. Satisfied, she smiles and turns back to her waiting position. Almost forgetting about Sasuke, almost. She catches him watching her, an amused look in his eyes but he says nothing. 

It doesn’t take long before they win. They managed to attract a small crowd and not long after, people were challenging to another round. Sasuke just shakes his head, grabbing his cup from before and her arm. At the contact, Sakura’s body flushes red, the alcohol affecting her mind and judgement. She can feel a strange feeling pooling in abdomen and she lets herself get pulled away. Once out of the crowd, he lets go of her arm and she feels  _ disappointed.  _ Shaking herself out of her self induced haze, she starts walking towards the makeshift bar. Quickly, she grabs more of the ghastly punch and chugs a bit before steady herself on the table.  _ This is too much. _   
  
“You alright?” Her head snaps up just to meet the same, cool gaze from before. His face doesn’t show much other than his regular stoic expression but his eyes, she can't quite place.   
  
“Yeah, just taking a moment.”    
  
“Hn.” So he hasn’t changed. Standing up straight, she catches his stare. Determined, she continues to watch him as she takes a small sip from her cup. He does the same, eyes getting darker as he looks on. It might be the alcohol that makes her venture away but she can’t help it. Her gaze goes from his eyes to his jaw, casually looking at his neck before moving to his shoulders. He is definitely not 12 anymore. Staring at his wide chest, she lets her gaze snake further down. She sees him stiffen, probably uncomfortable with her blatant staring so she lazily gazes up from her eyelashes. His eyes appear to become even darker than before, she can almost see her silhouette in them. Her eyes widen slightly, realizing that he has also been staring at her. His eyes set on her lips, he licks his lips a bit before catching her stare. 

_ I could die here. _ _  
_ _  
_ “Sakura!” she hears her name and she jumps out of his trance. Ino grins at her as she makes her way over with Naruto.    
  
“Oi Sasuke!” She hears Naruto yell. Sasuke just sucks his teeth but makes his way over to his blonde friend. Sakura can’t help but watch him leave, memorizing the way his back muscles twitch in possible irritation. It’s only when she’s about to look away that she catches him give her a side glance, smirking as if to say, “we’ll continue this later”. 

“Wow, just duck into the forest and give him a good lick.” Ino teases and she tenses up before quickly relaxing and waving her off.    
  
“What are you even talking about?” She glares and sips from her cup. Ino just laughs and pokes her on the side.    
  
“Well, I know we had that small competition over the man but a lot has changed.” Ino says and it catches the cherry blossom’s attention. “After you left, he became really withdrawn. I know they ended up putting Sai on Team 7 but outside of that, no one really saw him for a good while. I think it was around our 3rd year of high school that he started hanging out with all of us. Mostly Shikamaru, outside of his normal trio but he came around. Senior year he started dating Naruto’s cousin, Karin” she hopes Ino didn’t notice the way Sakura stiffens, but Ino only chuckles. “But I think that ended a few months ago, she was really clingy from what Naruto told me. I know he sleeps around because I hear the stories so you be careful, Sakura.”   
  
“I’m not here for romance.” She declares and Ino just sighs. “Besides, that was a childhood crush, nothing more.”   
  
“Yeah, yeah, sure, forehead.” Sakura sucks her teeth at the nickname but smiles at her friend.    
  
“Thank you though.” Ino just nods and hooks her arm around her friend.    
  
“Now lets get drunk!” 

  
  


\----------------------------------------------------------------------   
  
  
About two hours later, the atmosphere went from somewhat calm to overly hectic. Sakura was laying on one of the blankets off to the side, watching Naruto and Ino do a keg stand. She laughs in amusement before turning her attention to the sky. The moon was high above, shining down on them. The stars connecting her to her home in Suna, reminding her of a certain man. 

_ “It’s not that I don’t love you but we have different plans.” Deidara tucks a strand of hair behind her hair. Sitting in the middle of a small oasis near the village, he breaks up with her. She can feel the tears streaming down her face but she says nothing. She knows it to be true, she knows that they wouldn’t have lasted.  _

_ He ran away from home, making his way to the Suna, where his only real friend lived. Sasori introduced them and it didn’t take long for Deidara to make an impression on Sakura. He was older than her but sometimes she wondered if she was older. Before long, they had become inseparable. She would read her textbooks and he would draw her, they spent hours like this. Never complaining, only enjoying the happiness they brought each other. It wasn’t until Sakura was 15, two years later, that they started showing interest in each other romantically. He made her feel safe while still making her feel free. He would take her on trips to other villages when she wasn’t in school, painting her along the way. Lady Chiyo wasn’t especially fond of the relationship but did see the positive outcome it had on her and how happy she had become with him.  _

_ But very early on, they knew it wouldn’t last. He had dreams of seeing the world and sharing his art, she wanted to become a surgeon and kunoichi. They knew that when she would leave for school, they would be over.  _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “I want you to see the world through your own eyes, I want you to be the woman you want to be. I don’t ever want you to change that for me, same way I know you do not want me to change for you.” He told her gently, cupping her cheek. She looked up at him, her heart bursting into small pieces, looking at the man that showed her how to love and love herself. She could see that he was also on the verge of crying. Wiping away the tear that escaped his eyes, she kissed him.  _ This is the last time, tomorrow we go on different journeys, I want him one last time. __

_ That night they made love under the stars, he showed her just how much she meant to him with every kiss he placed on her skin. He wanted her to feel and be loved. _

Breathing out her slightly hot and bothered state, she sat up and released her hair from the confines of her elastic band. Running her fingers through her hair, she breathed out a low moan. She was drunk, she could tell by the way nothing felt stabilized around her. Everything felt quiet around her, she almost felt alone again. Bringing her knees to her chin, she wrapped her arms around them. Staring at the wildflowers that were beginning to blossom. She felt someone behind her but made no movement to acknowledge them. They sat down next to her and gently,  _ ever so _ gently, unwrapped an arm away from her legs. She looked up to find Sasuke holding a cup out for her. She quickly shakes her head, refusing to drink anymore.   
  
“It’s water.” He declares and she sits up, quickly taking the cup and drinking it fast. Breathing out, she nods in thanks. She doesn’t meet his gaze, afraid of what it might do but she can feel his eyes on her. After a while, he lays down on the blanket and stares up at the sky. With his face now in her view, she watches him.  _ He’s much more handsome than before.  _

_  
_ “So beautiful,” she whispers out into the air. That catches his attention and she might just be too drunk to care that it slipped past her lips. He looks at her for a while, his gaze soft. She wants to touch the piece of hair that's blocking his face from being completely bare for her to see, it seems that her body moves on its own and she does just that. His gaze doesn’t change but his eyes appear to get darker and desire pools within her.  _ Maybe if I just reach out, I can-  _

She stops the thought from forming, feeling too lightheaded. Opting to lay down, she feels his dark gaze on her as she lays on her stomach, not wanting to remember all those nights under the stars she had shared with Deidara. Not wanting her mind to wander and crave a memory with someone else. He watches her as she rests her head on her arms and she feels him tuck a strand of hair away from her face. Jade orbs stare at raven ones and it seems like a long time before either one looks away. He’s first to look down, possibly at her lips and she can’t escape the need to lick them. His gaze shoots back up to her eyes, darker than ever before and she makes the connection. Desire. Feeling brave, she brushes the strand that rested back on his forehead and lets her touch linger for a moment before pulling back. Maybe it's the alcohol or the feeling of wanting to be touched but she moves closer to his body, feeling his heat radiate onto her. Barely touching, she watches him turn on his side to face her. She mirrors his movements and he grabs her free hand and starts rubbing small circles. They don’t look at each other, both probably in shock from what has happened but it seems they both don’t care. Laying there, under the stars, they continue holding onto each other, Sakura feels both giddy and incredibly bothered. She can’t help but look up at him, only to catch him already staring. A small, quiet moan escapes her lips and that's the push it seems he needs to finally cup her cheek and lean in closer. Their noses touch slightly, his breath fans over her and she can’t help but be sucked in. Eyes darting up from his lips to his eyes, she takes the step and crashes her lips onto him, it takes them a small moment but soon the kiss goes from timid to lustful in a matter of a second. She presses her body into him, letting the booze take over her, her hands trace his biceps and she feels more ecstasy than she ever has. Strong arms pull her closer and she can’t help but want to be pressed deeper into him. Her nipples start to harden and as if on cue, he tucks his hand under her breast, lightly flicking them on his way there. She can’t help but moan into his mouth, feeling the desire needing to escape her. Only when he hears that does he stop and pull away. She whimpers at the loss of contact, not caring about how she must look.    
  
“We should get out of here.” He suggests and for a moment, Sakura contemplates what that means but only comes up with YES. She nods in agreement and he stands up quickly, looking around before grabbing her up from her position. She takes in her surroundings and noticies that no one is really paying attention to them, too drunk to really figure out whats going on around them. She does manage to catch Ino’s attention, who probably was aware of Sasuke making his way over to her a while ago. She just nods in acknowledgement, grinning drunkenly and continues talking to Naruto and Shikamaru. Sakura sighs and Sasuke tenses beside her. Quickly catching his gaze, she nods at him, slowly this time. Communicating without words that she wants this as much as he does. This seems to relax him and he walks faster, practically carrying her away from the party.   
  
She doesn’t know what she’s doing, her mind is yelling at her to gain some sense but her body, her body that she has trained her mind to listen to is on autopilot, completely turned off to what her thoughts are saying and only zeroed in on the man beside her. She’s in a daze, all she can do is smell the juniper and cedarwood coming off of him and the desire that's radiating off of both of them.

It doesn’t take long before they reach the dorms, he leads her across from where her building into a different one. “I don’t have a roommate.” He clarifies and she just nods. She probably looks really dumb but she can’t help it, he’s just so-   
  
A small moan escapes her again and he looks back at her, tensing before picking her up and practically running to his room. Quite gracefully, he opens his door all while sucking at her neck. She must be dreaming, she probably passed out on that blanket. There’s no way that  _ this is happening.  _ Kicking off his shoes, she manages to do the same from her legs being intertwined behind him. Their mouths find each other and they kiss ferociously. It doesn’t take long before her back hits his mattress and his hands wander all around her. First her neck, then her chest where he plays with her clothed mounds, making her moan into his mouth. He pinches at her nipples before traveling under her dress and hissing at the fact that she’s not wearing a bra. Lips disconnecting from each other, eyes half lidded, she watches him watch her. She can’t help biting her lip as her hands wander down his body, unbuttoning his pants working them off him. In one fluid motion, she uses her foot to push them down. He watches her in awe as he kicks them off with her help, he’s quick to undress her. He takes a moment to stare at her, watches her nipples harden under his stare. She watches him crash his mouth onto her breast, sucking and biting flesh. She can’t help but snake a hand down to play with herself. She needs to alleviate some of this dangerous friction but he catches her hand and pins her arm above her head. Nibbling at her nipple, he lets go with a pop, bringing his gaze back onto hers. Shifting hands to grab her other arm and have both pinned above her, he snakes a hand into her panties and very slowly parts her lips before entering a finger into her hot center. She gasps at the contact, aching for another finger as she feels him slowly thrust into her. As if he read her mind, he slips a second finger, casually exchanging them while pumping inside her.

She can’t help but go into shock, never haven’t felt what he was making her feel. Even with Deidara who brought passion to another level, this feeling was above all else. Suffocatingly deep and dark, she wants to be possessed by him. He draws circles on her clit with his thumb and she cannot understand how he can be pulling this off. Moaning loudly, not caring about who could be listening, she writhes underneath him. His mouth finds her nipple again and she loses her mind.    
  
“Sasuke, please” She pants and he just sucks harder. “Please, please!” She loses herself as she begs him to understand that she needs more. He slips his fingers out of her and lets go of her tits. She can’t help but almost cry and the lack of contact. He just watches her before bringing his wet fingers into his mouth and sucking them clean. She almost cums at watching him, eyes lost to ecstacy. As if to read his mind, she opens up as he sticks those same fingers into her mouth. Sucking and licking, she watches him, his face contouring in frustration. Taking his shirt off and kicking off his underwear, she follows suit and lays bare beneath him. He tries to go down but is stopped when Sakura grabs him by the chin, lustful determination in her drunken haze. “No more, I want it now” she whispers and he only nods. Her hand finds his hardened length and it takes everything in her to not yell out in ecstasy. It’s thick and much bigger than she had imagined. Quickly, she guides him to her folds, using herself to slicken his head. She hears him growl softly as she positions him and it doesn’t take him long to thrust into her. 

_ Oh my. _ _  
_ _  
_ A deep and low moan erupts from her and she feels him fill her up to the hilt. Sasuke drops his head into her neck, carefully sucking and nipping as he slowly thrusts into her. Lewd sounds fill the air as she moans in pleasure, clutching onto him for dear life. It doesn’t take long before he picks up his pace, grunting as he nips at her earlobe. “Sakura” he whispers gruffly and she feels an orgasm start to ripple out of her. Not losing his brutal pace, he grabs at her neck and licks the side of her face. “You feel soso good” she hears him murmur, making her cry out in pleasure. He reaches down to play with her once more, eager to get her to cum again. Pounding into her with reckless abandon, Sakura feels herself levitate. Moaning and calling out his name, she feels the need to worship him after all this. He kisses her neck and face as he coos her into another orgasm, following right behind her, spilling his seed into her. Collapsing onto her, he brings them to their side, still inside her and places a kiss on her forehead. 

“I missed you.” He declares as he holds her tighter and she melts into him.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, sorry, sorry. I took a long time to update, ya know how life be. This is my first ever smut so I'm sorry if its choppy and wack, I tried to convey the scene as best as I could. Also, yes Deidara. Listen, I LOVE THAT MAN and I thought I could pair him up with Sakura because although I love all the cliche tropes, I didn't want Sakura to be a virgin and I didn't want her to just love this one man (although Sasuke is the man for her). Also, her trauma has left her alone and I wanted to make Deidara show her that she is worthy of love also isn't Sakura just the perfect muse? I will develop them more as the story progresses cause again, I love them. Also I said slow burn and I mean it, they won't be a thing for a long while. Sakura is determined to not give in to any distractions and I will develop her feelings on the matter in the next few chapters.
> 
> Any comments are welcomed, you can say whatever comes to mind. I appreciate anyone who is reading, thank you. I'm already writing the following chapter so it won't take long before I update again. 
> 
> -Papaya


End file.
